Cameron facing a summer of discontent

There is panic among some at what they view as the disarray in No 10Andy Rain/EPA

David Cameron is facing increasing pressure from grass roots Conservatives who believe that Downing Street is becoming out of touch with the issues they are hearing about on the doorstep.

Mike Whitby, the former leader of Birmingham Council which the party lost to Labour at this month’s local elections, said the petrol crisis, Europe, the abolition of the 50p tax rate and spending cuts were causing voters to desert the party.

The presentation of the Budget and the “national interpretation of a range of measures” made it look as if the Government was out of control. “It is the public perception that counts. Storing petrol in jerry cans — was that necessary?” he said.